AZJazz Week welcomes all those from Tucson and the University of Arizona musical community.
From Feb. 25 to March 2, AZJazz week will continue the annual tradition of inviting jazz artists to the UA Campus to emphasize the rich culture of jazz that is still very much alive today.
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the AZJazz Week, attesting to the timeless nature of jazz.
Angelo Versace is the director of jazz studies at the UA Fred Fox School of Music.
“[Tucson Jazz Week is] an eclectic collaboration of shows, featuring out of town musicians and groups famous in the world of jazz,” he said
This event was originally headed by Jeff Haskell, the previous director who started the tradition of a jazz week at the UA.
According to Versace, this event is something that the Tucson community can look forward to.
“The School of Music has a really loyal fan base, so having this week is important, introducing them to some of the sounds they have never heard before,” he said.
Throughout this event many artists such as Andre Hayward, The Arizona Jazz Collective, Katherine Byrnes to name a few, all of which are performing alongside the UA Jass Band, UA Studio Jazz Ensemble, and many other UA and Tucson performers.
This event gives a new light to the world of jazz and re-opens doors for those who love to listen to the powerful music performed.
A difference this year was the inclusion of the Lindy Hopkins Dancers and Groups put together to create a dynamic and inviting scene for the musical population of Tucson.
This created a dynamic of “Dixieland” performance, challenging the stereotypes around jazz music.
Andre Hayward will also be putting on Master Class for the School of Music, an instructional period for students to be able to benefit from his attendance on a level beyond what his performance can offer.
“Celebrating Jazz is crucial to the culture in Tucson and definitely the culture of music,” Versace said.
Each concert this week is performed in Crowder Hall at 7:30 p.m. and is open to the public. Tickets range from $5, $7 and $10 per night.
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